Method and device for cementing oil wells



July 1932. G. F. JOHNSON y METHOD AND DEVICE -FOR CEMENTING OIL WELLS Filed A'ug. 28. 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNl/ENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

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July 5, 1932. G. F. JOHNSON METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CEMENTNG OIL WELLS Filed Aug. 28. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2` 1N VEN TOR.

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G. F JQHNSON METHOD AND DEVICE FOR GEMENTING OIL WELLS Filed Aug.'

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Patented July 1932 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE FULLERTON JOHNSON, OF LOGANSPORT, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR-OF ONE-HALF T0 F. K. JOHNSON AND THOMAS RUSSELL, OF DE SOTO PARISH, LOUISIANA METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CEMENTIN G OILQWELLS about the casing, between the latter and the earth wall of the bore therefor.

It is sometimes necessary to deepen a well in order to strike a lower oilproducing sand, which of course necessitates drilling the well toa greater depththan the depth of the well casing. After the desired depth has been reached, it is customary to insert'within the well casing an additional casing of smaller diameter, extending from the top to the bottom of the well and beyond the lower end of the regular well casing. This is not only a very expensive practice,especially if the Well is deepened to a ver reat extent, because of the amount of ad itional casing used, and the time and labor required for its installation, but it is exceptionally difficult to cement the casing under s uch circumstances, by the usual method, hereinabove referred to, wherein the cement must be forced by pressure through the entire length of the well casing.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method Vand means for cementing the,well casing through `the drill pipe, thereby eliminating the necessity of forcing the cement through the entire len th of the Iwell casing.

Another ob]ectlof the invention resides in the provision of a device for this purpose, including a tubular member adapted to be lowered into ythe well with the drill pipe, and subsequently receive the cement mixture, and from which tubular member the cement mixture is forced into the earth bore for the well casing. 4

It is one of the chief charactei lstics of the present invention to provide a device for cementing a well casing, in a manner whereby ashort length of an additional well casing can be'lowered through the regular well casing and cemented to the latter and to the earth wall of the bore therefor, where it is necessary to deepen the well, and thereby eliminatethe necessity of using an additional well casing for the entire length of the well, and without forcing the cement through the well casing throughout its entire length.

. The invention comprehends a device whereby a short length of additional well casing can be lowered into the well and positioned in the bore of the earth provided where it is necessary to deepen the well, and subsequently cement the additional well cas- 'in'g within its bore' and to the lower end of the regular well casing, in a novel* and unique manner, with a view of saving in the amount of well casing used for deepening -the well, vand with a view of minimizing both the time and effort required in cementing the additional well casing in place. y

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a new and improved method and means for cementing an additional length of well casing in place to form a continuity of the regular well casing, where deepening of the well is necessary, Without the necessity of forcing the cement through the entire length of the well casing, and to permit this work to be quickly and accurately accomplished, without requiring any subsequent drilling of the cement from either casing.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood. when the followingl detail description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as claimed. In the drawings forming'part of this application like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and where- Y Figure 1 is`a vertical fragmentary view of the invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the upper part of the drill pipe. Y D

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the position of parts during the ilststep of the op eration.

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the next ste of the operatio'x'i.v Y f '5 igure 5 is asimilar view showing the normal position of the valve for covering the outlet passages for the cement mixture, formedV in the short length of additional well casing.

, Figure 6 is a similar view showing how the cement is forced from the additional length of -well casing. A

Figure 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a similarview showing the relative arrangement of the lugs to permit of sliding movement of the drill pipe through the tubular member of the device.

Figure 9 is a detail view of one of the female plugs.

Figure 10 is a similar view of one of the male plugs.

Figure 11 is a detail view of the weakened pin for normally holding one of the female plugs fixed `with relation to the tubular member of the device.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing how the additional length of well casingis placed in position beneath the lower end of the regular well casing, and cemented to the latter and also within the earth bore therefor.

Referring to the drawings in detail 10 in-' dicates the earth bore of a well in which the regular well casing is adapted to be arranged, this casing being eliminated in all figures of the drawings with the exception of Figure 12, wherein the casing is indicated at 11.

As hereinabove stated, the present invention aims to provide a device by means of which a cement mixture can be quickly and easily lowered through the well casing 11, and subsequently distributed about the wall tkereof to protect the oil producing sand from t e effect of liquid mud water, and at the same time lower into the well casing an additional length of casing of smaller diameter,

to form a continuityof the regular well casi ing, where it is necessary todeepen' the well, .and to simultaneously cement the additional length of well casing in position for use.

In carrying out the invention I preferably employ a hollowtubular member 12 which is adapted to be supported by a ipe section 13,-and this pipe section is pre erably coupled in any suitable manner to a drill ipe (not shown), after the drilling tool has een removed therefrom. The pipe 13 isV capable 'of sliding movement within the tubular member 12 for a purpose to be hereinafter described, but is normally held fixed relatively to the tubular member in any suitable manner. For this purpose I preferably provide the tubular member with a pair-of spaced diametrically opposed lugs 14 upon which G5 similarly constructed lugs 15 carried by the pipe 13 are adapted to repose. The position of these lugs for supportin the tubular member 'on the pipe 13 1s clear y illustrated in Figure 7, while in Figure 8 I have shown how the lugs are arranged at right angular relationto each other to permit of sliding movement ofv the pi within the tubular member when desired. The tubular member may be of any desired length, and include any number of sections suitab y cou and adapted to be lowered wit the pipe 13 into the well through the casing 11, and from ^which a cement mixture is adapted -to be forced, in a manner to be hereinafter described f or cementing the well. The tubular member is primarily intended to su port an additional length' of well casing, o smaller diameter than the well casing 11, and adapted to be lowered into the well through the latter, to form a continuity thereof where it is necessary to deepen the well. -The additional well casing can of course vary in length and be made up of an number of sections of desired length suitably coupled together, although I have illustrated two of such sections indicated at 16 and 17 respectively which are joined together by threads 18. The uppermost section 16 is connected to the lower end of the tubular member 12 by a coupling sleeve 19 threaded to the adjacent ends of thetubular member 12 and well casing secttogn 16, the lower end of the tubular member `12 having left hand threads 20 so that the tubular member can be separated from the additional length of well casing, in a .manner to be hereinafter described, after the well Vcasing has been roperly positioned in the earth bore there or. The additional length of well casing also includes the usual screen or strainer 21, .and the flexible sack or cover 22.

Supported within the tubular member 12 is a pair of female plugs of relatively different lengths and indicated at 23 and 24 respectively. These plugs have tapered bores as illustrated and are-normally arranged in end toend contacting engagement, each plug beingequipped with one or more flexible composition washers 25. The `lowermost relatively short plug 23 is normally held fixed with relation to the tubular member 12, vbut in, a manner to permit this plug to be easily and conveniently separated therefrom to permit the plug to pass into'the additional length of pipe casing, in spaced relation to the plug 24, and with the cement mixture led together,

therebetween, which position of the plugs is v v.ao

used in connection with the plug as shown in ,ing a left hand threaded connection with the Figure 3, and the shank 27.0f each element is lower end of the tubular member. After/the slotted as at 28 to weaken the same, so that drilling tool has been removed from the drill the' Shanks can be easily broken off to free pipe (not shown), the pipe 13 is lsuitably the plug 23 as the occasion requires. coupled to the drill pipe toform a continuity Used in conjunction with the female plugs thereof, and the pipe 13 obviously supports 23 and 24 is a. pair of male plugs 29 and 30 the tubularmember 12, so that the additional respectively which are' normally placed withpipe section can be easily and quickly lowin' the pipe 13 in spaced relation, with the ered through the well casing 11 into the earth cement mixture 31 therebetween, and these bore psrovided therefor. However, this addiplugs are adapted to be subsequently positional length of well casing partly extends tioned within their corresponding female within the well casing 11 when it assumes plugs 23 and 24 during theo operation of the its final position as shown in Figure 12, and device in a manner which will be hereinafter isadapted to be cemented both to the lower described. The plugs 29 and 3() are not, howend of the well casin 11 and to the wall ever, associated with their corresponding. feof the Aearth bore providedtherefor.

male plugs 23 and 24, until after the latter Prior to lowering of the additional well have been spaced apart, so that when the corcasing within the well, the male plugs 29 and responding plugs of ea'ch pair are united', and 3() are arranged within the pipe 13 with the arranged within the additional length of pipe cement mixture 31 therebetween and 1t 1s casing supported by the tubular member 12, of course understood that the eorrespondmg the cement mixture 31 is positioned between female plugs 23 and 24 are positioned in the the plugs as illustrated in Figure 5. The tubular member 12 as illustrated in Figure 3.I

plugs together with the cement mixture con- Pressure of any suitable character, prefertinue to move downwardly through thel addiably a hydraulic pressure is introduced into tional length of pipe casing, until the lowerthe pipe 13 and against the uppermost male most pair o-f united plugs strike the bottom plug 30, thereby forcing both of these plugs of the additional length of well casing, wheretogether lwith thecolumn of cement mixture upon the upper pair of united plugs during 31 downwardly through the pipe, until the their continued movement through the well lowerlnost male plug 29 has been positionedI easing 16, will foreethe cement mixture from within its corresponding female vplug 23 as the casing throughpassages 32 formed in the shown in Figure 3. Up to this point of the lower end of the additional well casing, @and operation, the two female plugs 23 and 24 are thereby distribute this cement mixture about in end to end contacting relation, and the the wall of the casing, to cement the latter to female plug 23 held against movement by the the earth bore therefor and also to the' lower headed element 27. *After the niale plug 29 end of the regular well casing 11 as indicated has been positioned in its corresponding fein Figure 12. The passages 32 through which male plug 23, the pipe 13 is partially rotated the cement mixture escapes into the bore of to move 'the lugs 15 thereof into the spaces bethe well are normally closed by a Valve pistween the lugs 14 of the tubular member in t0n 33 as clearly illustrated in Figure 5, and the manner illustrated in Figure 8, which this valve is normally held fixed ,in its active allows the pipe 13 to move longitudinally position by means of a pin 34,7the shanky of within the tubular member, so that the weight which is weakenedy in any suitable manner, thereof and its associated parts will be sufso that it can be easily broken when the pisficient to break the stem of the 'element 27, ton is subjected to pressure, and thereby aland thereby release .the unitedplugs 23 and l low the piston to move downwardly in the 29 respectively from the tubularmember 12.

-well casing 16 to permit the escape or pas- Duringthis operation the pressure within the sage of the cement mixture 31 from the well pipe 13 is cut off, Iand after the pin 27 has casing into the bore of the well as will be been broken in the niannerv just described, readily understood.l

In practice, when it is desired to deepen continue the movement ofthe plugs and cethe -well, a drilling apparatus is lowered ment mixture therethrough. It will be noted through the well casing 11, to drill the well upon inspection of Figures 3vand 9 that the to a greater depth than the depth of the wellp female plug 24 is provided with diametrically casing 11 as clearly illustrated in Figure 12, opposed longitudinal grooves 35 which reand subsequent to the removal of the drilling ceive pinsr36 carried by the tubular member apparatus the wel1 is thoroughly washed and 12, and in the normal position of the plug24 cleaned in any ordinary well known manner. as shown in Figure 3, these pins are arranged In contradistinction to then -passing adjacent the lower ends/of the grooves 35. through the well casing 11, an additional Consequently', after the female plug 23 ha's well casing of lesser diameter, a comparativebeen loosened or separated from its ,connecv ly. short lengthuof additional well casing is tion A2'( with the-tubular member 12, and

ber 12, and secured'thereto by aacollar 19 hav-- female plugs 23 and-2 4'mov`e as a unit down` prfesure is .again admitted to the pipe 13 to' coupled to the lower end of the tubular mempressure again applied'. to thepipe 13, the

wardly throu h the tubular member 12,- until the upp'er en s of the grooves 35 of the female member 24 strike the pins 36, thus temporarily retarding the' movement of the female plug 24, while the other female plug 23 together with its associated male plug 29 continues to move downwardly into the additional well casing 16. During this operation the female plugs 23- and 24 are spaced apart, and the cement mixture forced through the uppermost female plug 24 thereby permitting the uppermost male plug 30 to enter its corresponding female plug 24. Manifestly,

During the continued movement-of thespaced pairs of united plugs and the cement column therebetween Athrough the section 1'? of the additional well casing, the lowermost pair of said united Iplugs is brought. into contacting engagement with the piston valve 33, separating this valve from -the said section of the well casing in the manner hereinabove described, and moving this valve downwardly to the lower end of the well as shown in Figure 6. During this operation'the inlet ends of the passages 32 are uncovered, and When the lowermost pair of united plugs are brought t'o rest at the lower end of the well, pressure on the uppermost pair of united plugs 24 and 30 will break the' pins 36 so that the latter plugs will continue to move downwardly through the section 17 of the additional well casing, and thereby force the cement mixture through the passages 32' into the earth bore of the well for the purpose above stated. The tubular member and pipe 13 can then beeasily separated from the additional well casing and removed from the well, and this can be accomplished by again turnbetweenthe lugs 14 of the tubular member 12 as shown in Figure 8. Inasmuch as the tubular member 12 is connected with the couplin'g sleeve by left hand threads 20, it is manifest that ley-turning the pipe 1 3 in the proper direction, the lugs 15 thereof will engage the'lugs 14 of the tubular member, and thereby turn the tubular member with the pipe 13 to separate the tubular member from the collar 19.

Manifestly the invention provides for the savmg of a great amount of well casing, Where deepening of the well'is necessary, and the additional well casing' used can be very `accurately cemented in its proper lposition i for use, as plugs are used of the same size as the pipe and tubular member through which i the cement mixture is forced.A Furthermore this work can be accomplished in a minimum of time and efort, and after the additional length of pipe has been cemented in place, the

necessity of subsequent drilling out of cement is obviated.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description, the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood, that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described and that such changes may be resorted t0v when desired as fall Within the scope of what is claimed.

What is claimed isf: 1.' Means for cementing wells, comprising a pipe adapted to be lowered into the well through the well casing, a pair of spaced male plugs adapted to be placed in said pipe with a column of cement mixture therebetween and forced downwardly therefrom by pressure, a sectional tubular member supported by said pipe to receive said plugs and column of cement mixture, apair of female plugs' arranged inthe uppermost section of the tubular member normally in end to end relation, with the -lowermost female plug adapted to initially receive its male plug and be forced away from the other of said female plugs during continued downward movement of the male lplugs and column of cement, and until the uppermost male plug is received by its female plug, said tubular member having outlet passages through which the cement mixture is forced by continued movement of one 2. Means for cementing wells, comprising a pipe adapted to be lowered 1nto the well throughthe well casing, a pair of spaced male plugs adapted to be placed in said pipe with a column of cement mixture therebe-v tween and forced downwardly therefrom by pressure, a sectional hollow tubular member supported` by said pipe and adapted to be ing the plpe 13 to position the lugs 15 thereof lowered therewith through the well casing, a pair of female plugs supported within the uppermost section of the tubular member in end to end relation and adapted to succes sively receive their respective male plugs with lll the column of cement mixture therebetween of the tubular member, including a normally closed valve adapted to be opened by one pair of said plugs, said cement mixture being discharged through said means by continued downward movement of one pair of said plugs with relation to the other pair thereof.

3. Means for cementing wells, comprising a pipe adapted to be lowered into the well through the well casing, a pair of spaced male plugs adapted to be placed in said pipe with a column of cement mixture therebetween and forced downwardly therefrom by pressure, a hollow tubular member supported by said .pipe to receive said plugs and column of.

cement mixture, means for supporting an auxiliary well casing from the lower end of ,said tubular member to be received in an earth bore provided therefor, a pair of female plugs supported in said tubular member in end to end relation and adapted'to successively receive their corresponding male plugs with the column of cement therebetween during the downward movement of said male plugs, thereby causing the lowermost pair of corresponding plugs to be initially united and moved into said auxiliary well casing in spaced relation to the 'uppermost pair of united plugs, said auxiliary well casing having outlet passages through which the cement mixture is forced by continued movement of one pair of said plugs with relation to the other.

4. Means for cenienting wells, comprising a pipe adapted to be lowered into the well through the well casing, a pair of spaced male plugs adapted to be placed in said pipe with a column of cement mixture therebetween and forced downwardly therefrom by pressure, a tubular member supported by said pipe to receive ksaid plugs and column of cement mixture, means forsi'ipporting an auxiliary well casingfrom the lower end of said tubular member to be received in an earth bore provided therefor, a pair of female plugs supported in the tubular member in end to end relation and adapted to successively receive their corresponding male plugs with the column of cement therebetweenJ during the downward movement of said male plugs, thereby causing the lowermost pair of corresponding plugs to be initially united and forced into said auxiliary well casing in spaced relation to the uppermost pair of united plugs, said auxilary well casing having outlet passages through which the cement mixture is forced by continued movement of one pair of plugs with relation to the other pair thereof, a iston valve normally closing the inlet `ends o said passages, and brealrable means supporting the valve in the auxiliary casing', whereby said valve'is forced to an inactive position in the .lower end of said casing by the adjacent pair of said plugs.

5. Means for cementing wells, comprising a`pipe adapted tobe lowered into the well through the well casing, a pair of spaced male plugs adapted to be placed in said pipe with a column of cement Vmixture therebetween and forced downwardly therefrom by pressure, a tubular member supportedby said pipe to receive said plugs and column of cement mixture, means for supporting an auiliar\y well casing from the lower end of said tubular member to be received in an earth bore provided therefor, a pair of female plugs supported in the tubular member inl end to end relation and adapted to successive` ly receive their corresponding male plugs with the column of cement therebetween, during the downward movement of said male plugs, thereby causing the lowermost pairl of plugs to be initially united and moved into said auxiliary well casing in spaced relation to the uppermost pair of united plugs, means for holdino` the up ermost female plug Within the tubular member until it receives its corresponding male plug, said auxiliary well casing having outlet passages through vwhich the cement mixture is forced by continued movement of one pair of plugs with relation to the other pair thereof, and a normally closed valve for said passages` adapted to be moved to an inactive position by one pair of said plugs.

G. Means for cementing wells, comprising a pipe adapted to be lowered into the well through the wellfcasing, a pair ofspaced male plugs adapted to be placed in said pipe with a column of cement mixture therebetween and forced downwardly therefrom b v pressure, a tubular member supported by said pipe to receive said plugs and column of cement mixture, means for supporting an auxiliary well casing from the lower end of said tubular member to be received in an ea-rtlifi bore provided therefor, a pair of female plugs supported in the tubular member in end to end yrelation and adapted to successively receive their corresponding male plugs with the column of cement therebetween during the downward movement of said male plugs, thereby causing the lowermoved to an inactive position by one pair of plugs.

7. Means for cementing wells,` comprising a pipe adapted to be lowered into the well through the well casing, a pair of spaced male plugs adapted to be placed in said pipe with i a column of cement mixture therebetween and forced downwardly therefrom by pressure,- a

tubular memberv supported by said pipe to receive said plugs and column of cement mixture, means for supporting an auxiliary Well Acasing from the lower end of said tubular member to'be received in an earth bore provided therefor, a pair of female plugs sup` y' ceives its corresponding male plug, means including said pipe, whereby said female plug 'K is subsequently released from said breakable means yfor continued downward movement,

said auxiliary casing having outlet passages through which the cement mixture is forced by`continued movement of one pair of plugs withrelation to the other.

8. Means for cementing wells, comprising a pipe adapted to be lowered into the well through the well casing, a pair of spaced male plugs adapted to be placed in said pipe with a column of cement mixture therebetween and forced downwardly therefrom by pressure, a hollow tubular member slidably and rotatably receiving said Apipe, cooperating means carried by said pipe and tubular" memberfor supporting the latter from said pipe,

means for supporting an auxiliary well casing from the tubular member to be received within an earth boreprovided therefor, apair of female plugs arranged in the tubular mem-A ber in end to end relation, breakable means carried by said member for holdin the ,lowermost female plug fixed relative y thereto and adapted to be released therefrom bysliding movement of the pipe within said member, said female plugs being adapted to sucuppermost pair of said plugs, means for lim'- cessively receive their corresponding male plugs withthe column of cement therebe-` tween, whereby the corresponding lowermost plugs are initially united and moved intothe auxlliary caslng in spaced relation to the iting the sliding movement of the uppermost female plug and holding it within the tubular.;`

member until it receives-its corresponding male plug, said auxiliary casing having outlet passages through whichvthecement mixture is forced by continued movement of one pair of plugs with relation` to the other pair thereof.

.9. The method of cementing wells, which consists .in intrbducing i'nto a pipe having cement discharge means, a pair of'female plugs and la column of cement mixture between apair of spaced male uplugs located above the female plugs, then lowering said pipe through'the wellcasing, then appl ing pressure to one of the male Plugs tol orce the column of cement and other plug dolwnwardly through the pipe until thelowermost male plug is fitted into itscorresponding female plug, causing the united plugs to move away from-the other female plug, until the upperfnost male plug is fitted into its corresponding female plug with the column of cement between the respective pairs of united plugs, and then continuing said pressure to force the lowermost pair of united plugs to a position of rest and thereby deect the cement mixture through said discharge means into the space about the casing during the continued downward movement of the upper pair of said plugs. A A

10. The method of cementing an auxiliary Well casing having cement discharge means in a bore of a deepened well, -which consists in introducing into a pipe supporting said casing, a pair of femaleplugs and a column of cement mixture between a pair of spaced male plugs located above -the female plugs, then lowering said pipe and auxiliary casing through the well casing until the auxiliary casing is positioned in said bore, then applying pressure to one of said male plugs to' force thevcclurnn of cement and other male plug downwardly through the pipe until the lowermost male plug is fitted into its corresponding female plug, causing the united plugs to move away from the other female plug, until the uppermost male piugis fitted into itscorresponding female plug with the column of cement mixture arranged between the respective pairs of united plugs, and then cntinuing said pressure to force the lower- Ionost pair of united plugs to a position of rest and thereby deflect the cement mixture from the auxiliary casing` into said bore and upwardly in the space about the well casing during continued downward movement of the upper pair of said plugs.

Intestimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE FULLERTON JOHNSON. 

